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INSTANT CLASSIC 042
By Adam Baruch
This is the first solo album by Polish Jazz/Avant-Garde clarinetist/composer Wacław Zimpel. He
plays different clarinets and keyboards and performs six pieces, five of which
are his original compositions and one is a renaissance cannon.
The music is almost entirely
written, as opposed to Zimpel's usual modus operandi, which primarily involves
improvisation. The affiliation with minimal music is felt very strongly and
familiar patterns appearing in the works of American composers like La Monte Young, Terry Riley, Steve
Reich or Philip Glass can be also heard here. This does not imply of course
that Zimpel uses ideas created by others, but the resemblance, both
aesthetically and sonorically, is very audible. The music is also very
contemplative and monotonic, which of course is rather difficult for listeners
not familiar with this musical idiom.
Zimpel's usage of several
overdubbed instruments to create an almost orchestral effect is the most
interesting aspect of this album, which is fully explored in the title track.
All of the tracks use the same technique of overdubbing, which is of course
possible due to the fact that the music is written and not spontaneously
improvised. One has to respect Zimpel for
his consistency and desire to create his own unique music, even if this means
that his audience will be rather limited. Also the support he gets from small
independent labels, like Instant Classic which released this album, is very
significant to his career and development.
Overall this is an album
intended to be listened to by connoisseurs of minimal music or people looking
for adventurous and unusually sounding recordings. With certain open-mindedness
this music can bring many surprisingly pleasing musical moments amid its
weirdness.
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